Prompt: I spent years waiting for this day. Let me enjoy it.
They had lived together forever it seemed, four years actually. Mark had spent all that time watching men and women pass through their apartment on their way to the door in the morning from Jack's room.
He made sure to glare at them, seemingly daring them to do something. They probably thought he was pissed at the noises he heard through the wall, thinking he didn't get sleep or something. They weren't completely wrong, not completely right though. He was hurt, ever morning he saw someone new leave, it hurt a little more and the glare got more intense.
Of course though, they would leave and he would let the glare slip away and go back to eating his cereal. He would always leave for work before Jack came out of his room. He didn't want to see what he looked like, what he acted like, what he sounded like after a fresh fuck. It had been hard to avoid seeing that for four years but he had done it.
Real dedication is what it took.
It was kinda pathetic, living with a guy you had a crush on for years. It was bad enough when they weren't living together and just close friends in college but now that they are it just aches more.
At first, he only brought women home. It eased the pain somehow because he knew it wasn't him it was just his body. He just didn't have the right parts, that hurt but it was okay. He understood. Then the first one came.
Mark had been in the kitchen, eating his cereal, waiting for the faceless women to come walking out, give him a glance only to be met by a glare and leave. But that didn't happen, when Mark looked up...
He hurt.
He barely registered his spoon slipping from his hands and into the bowl, splashing milk everywhere. Mark stared at the guy, he felt his eyes fill up with tears, he expected a smug look for the guy.
He didn't get one, at first the guy just looked confused then he looked around and at photos on the walls, the photos of Jack and him, and gave him a sympathetic look. That was so much worse than a smug look. The guy just stood and Mark just let tears silently roll off his face and into the now soggy cereal below. The guy crept to the door.
"I'm sorry," he whispered before quickly leaving. Mark threw the bowl at the closing door, the cereal and broken shards of bowl went everywhere. Mark heard Jack getting up to come see what had happened. Mark was already gone when he came into the kitchen.
He was down in his car sitting, shoeless and crying. It wasn't because he wasn't a women, it was simply because he wasn't right. He wasn't what Jack wanted.
Nothing had hurt that much in a long time.
But that was a year ago. He had grown numb by now. He had learned his place, he had learned where he stood in Jack's world. Distant. Friends, yes. Roommates, yes. Nothing else. It should be enough.
It really wasn't.
He thinks Jack noticed the shift. He thinks he noticed the absence of smiles on his face, notices the way he jerks away from what use to be friendly and welcome touches. He thinks Jack noticed but it's probably wishful thinking.
Mark often thought of bringing people home, thought of filling his sorrows with other warm bodies but the thought of anyone but Jack felt sacrilege. He felt like he was cheating somehow.
But it had all passed, he was here again. Eating his damn cereal and waiting to see the lasted one night stand come out of Jack's room.
It was a guy, it was almost always men now. Mark looked up when he heard footsteps this morning and felt pissed. Not pissed like the first time he saw a man leave that room, that had hurt mixed in. Pissed because this guy, this fucking guy had the smuggest air about him. Like he had just won another prize. Like Jack was some cheap carnival toy.
Mark stared at the guy, it was so fucking funny. Really someone from above had to be getting a laugh from this.
Mark didn't move. Just glared the man down and waiting for him to leave. The man didn't leave just stood looking at him. The bastard seemed to be challenging him, Mark just glared back.
He had never spoken to one of these people that walked through their apartment but this guy seemed want a piece of his mind, "You get lost on the way to the door?"
The guy scoffed, "No, just trying to figure how I can maybe get you in bed." He had a strange accent, wasn't Irish but not American by a long shot.
Mark actually laughed, "Try looking elsewhere. Get the fuck out of my apartment."
The guy just looked around, his gaze locked onto a picture on the entry table. It was of him and Jack in front of the observatory. Jack had surprised him with a trip for his birthday. He has babbled about space the whole day, it was one of the happiest days of his life.
"He was a real nice fuck, you know that?" he said looking up from the picture, "Shame he's a man-whore. Been with every slut and skank around I bet. How do you live with him, pretty boy?"
Mark felt his face heat up with anger, "Get out now or I'll make you leave."
The guy waltzed over to Mark and leaned against the breakfast island, his private area for glaring at guests. This guy wasn't welcome, "You know I'm right. He sleeps around, from the look you gave me this has been going on for years."
Mark gave the guy a good look finally. He had sandy hair and blue eyes, they were nice but had nothing on Jack's. Mark could fall into Jack's if he wasn't careful, "So what if he is. He sleeps around, acts like a," Mark bit his lip thinking about his next word, he knows he shouldn't but he was so angry for so long, "slut. It's the twenty first century slut shaming isn't in anymore. What he does isn't my problem."
"Sure do act like its your problem. See you around, Mark," the guy said in a sing songy voice heading for the door.
"Wait! How do you know my name?" Mark called out, knowing fully well he didn't introduce himself.
"Little birdie let it slip while singing," he said winking at something behind Mark and then he was gone.
Mark spun around to see Jack standing in the hallway, he had tears in his eyes and lips drawn tight, "You think I'm a slut?"
Mark felt like he was in a play, suddenly the whole stage had grown dark and a single light was on him. The audience was quiet, all waiting to see what he would say, "Yeah. I did," Mark stood up knocking his chair over in his haste, "I've had to sit for four years waiting your fucks walk through this apartment! Our apartment! Jack did you ever give a single thought as to why I still live here?"
Jack gave him a confused look, opening his mouth before shutting it.
"Yeah. I bet you never even thought about it. Because I sure as hell make enough money to leave this sorry dump and your ass behind but, fuck, apparently love makes you do crazy things. Like trick yourself into thinking you have a chance with some asshole who doesn't give a fuck about you. Who hasn't tried to actually talk to you about anything more than what to get for dinner in a year. Well you know what? This is it! I'm fucking done. I'm so fucking done. I'm moving out."
Mark stomped over to the door and slammed it behind him. Jacks stared at the door and let himself cry. They had both been blind.
-
Mark opened the door hours later, "Jack? I'm sorry. Look can we just forget everything I said earlier? I was just tired and cranky. I'm really sorry."
Mark didn't see anyone but suddenly he felt himself slammed against the door. He was about to yell when he felt lips crash into his. His eyes bolted open and God, this wasn't real. This wasn't Jack, it couldn't be? He felt Jack grow hesitant at Mark's lack of movement and start to pull back. Immediately Mark grabbed Jack's hair and pulled him back.
Mark let his eyes slip shut and lose himself in the feeling of Jack, in the sensation of everything he had been yearning for for years. Finally they parted for air, both panting and gripping each other. Holding one and other in fear of someone running away. Jack rested his forehead against Mark and stared into his eyes, "Mark, I—"
Mark cut him off with a gentle kiss, "Don't say anything. I spent years waiting for this day. Let me enjoy it."
Jack didn't say anything for the rest of the night, at least nothing other than a few breathy whispers and whimpers with Mark's name attached to them. Mark carefully erased all memories of Jack's past lovers with his own hands and tongue and quiet whispers.
Mark didn't actually move out. Mark also had stopped glaring at the people passing through their lives because no more came.
-
A/N Hey guys did anyone notice how many reads this has?! 6.3k?! That's fucking radical. Like Jesus fuck. Thank you all so much. Ok so I hope you all really really like this one. I fucking do. You all know how I have like 10 stories saved up and the stories I post are like 3 months old sometimes? Anyway I'm writing a fic rn that is soulmate AU sorta and I had intended for it to be a 1k fic and just like this one it's almost at 2k? Like stop.